The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Planetary gear assemblies used in automatic motor vehicle transmissions are subject to numerous fabrication, assembly and operational constraints. Because it is the largest and heaviest member of the planetary gear assembly and because it receives and supports the planet gears, this is particularly true of the planet gear carrier.
Because of it size, it is always desirable to minimize its weight and thus to reduce its inertia as an energy saving consideration. Such weight reductions are, of course, limited to reductions which do not compromise the strength and durability of the carrier. Because the planet gears reside within the carrier, consideration must be given to how these gears as well as shafts, bearings and washers will not only be accommodated but also installed within the carrier. Finally, there is the issue of lubrication: consideration must be given to ensuring proper lubrication flow to the shafts and planet gears by incorporating appropriate fluid passageways. Such passageways must be capable of providing lubricating fluid not only when the carrier is rotating but also when it is stationary and the planet gears are rotating.